Feel really alone (BLW)

[MrsNPattz]

It feels like everyone thinks I'm crazy for doing it! Health visitor and MIL both think it's wrong, and make me feel like I'm doing wrong by little man and don't know what I'm doing. I have confidence in the process, and feel strongly about continuing (my little man is 6 months and a couple of weeks so it's still early days) but it just feels like an uphill struggle. My hubby is wonderful, but think I just need a hand hold from others who are doing it! Thanks!

We did it and never regretted it, although it did help that the HVs in my area are pro-BLW. The NHS advice seems to be moving towards BLW or at least away from purees, so your HV shouldn't be making you feel bad about your choice even if it's not her personal preference.

Hopefully your MIL will come round when she sees your son joining in with a family meal. My mum was a bit sceptical but was won over when we went away with them when DS was 7 months and she really got to see it in action.

well it's fuck all to do with your mil, but I would be speaking to your hvs supervisor

Stick with it, if you believe in the theory and process of it, you're more than half way there

Just waft away the annoying flys people who are unsupportive. Their comments will bring you down and make you doubt yourself. I found leaving the BLW book by Gill Rapely lying around quite handy. If criticism came my way, I'd be quite firm that I've read this book, have you? No, well keep your opinions to yourself as this is the way I'm doing things
This was of course after the 'nicely nicey' approach which had no effect at all

A little 'success' story for you. Dd, now 19 months, BLW from 6 months, she loved food most days and will have odd days of not being so hungry. She didn't use a sippy cup until gone 11 months, but got there in the end, fed herself with a spoon from early on (from memory 8 months) and now eats every single meal we have, sometimes with a spoon or fork, sometimes with her hands. We have never cooked separate meals for her and don't plan on doing so (the odd omelette or pasta if we're having a takeaway later on, otherwise she eats with us)

If she doesn't like something, she picks it off her plate and leaves it there. But she tries things, she enjoys dinner time at the table, there are no battles with her because she knows that we trust her to eat if she's hungry and she is a happy and content little girl.

You may find he eats like a pig one day and not the next, he might like banana today and hate it next week; just keep offering the foods. Dd has only just started eating porridge (even asks for it now) despite refusing it from when we began weaning on to solids

Another vote for just sticking with it. If I'd listened to my Mil and HV I'd have ff, weaned with babyrice at 6 weeks, left them in a pram in the garden for 4 hours between feeds and left them to cry themselves to sleep.

Both lovely women. Both know fuck all about bringing up kids

Hi - see my thread below 'so fed up if weaning' - that was me last week - it was great to get those responses and to know we were doing ok - and even a week makes a big difference in what my DD is having and even more so in just how much she is enjoying it. Not really sure our families get it either. DD was mouthing some roast chicken and my mum told me all about how I could cook up a broth with the left overs and maybe even put it through the blender - "like a purée even" she said But do hang in there. (Ahem, may be a good time to go up a nappy size though ) X

'Puree': came out odd for some reason.

I weaned the traditional was and had never heard of blw.

Neither had my friend when she had her third baby 18 months ago. But with her hands full with the others she decided would need a degree of independance as soon as so kept giving him finger food. He is now the best eater I have seen and uses a knife and fork like an old pro.

I wish I had known about it. Stuff then all and just follow your instincts.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, I feel much better

And lol @ JiltedJohns!

Hi mrsn Just wanted to give you a wave and say stick with it, you're doing great! People have an opinion on everything - it is hard, but go with your instincts. We started weaning a few weeks ago and going down a bit of a mixed route of some mashed stuff and some finger food. MIL is shocked that we avoided baby rice and went straight to veg. If she mentions baby rice one more time I will rice her . She is also disapproving of us giving him plain water to drink as it is 'boring'

Good luck, stick with it and enjoy it! I love seeing ds with a veg stick hanging out the sides of his grinning mouth! He looks like a little bird

Aw thanks Smicha, so very lovely to 'see' you! Come say hi to us soon xx

we're doing it, DS is now 8mo and picks up everything we put in front of him and shoves it in his mouth. To be honest, he's only really interested in eating for a few minutes and then he mostly plays, but over all he's suddenly really 'got it'.

I found it hard the first couple of months as he just ignored everything I offered him and I became convinced he was never going to eat, and all my NCT friends were feeding their babies 3 meals a day and kept asking me how much DS was eating..? I ended up lying and saying he was eating a lot more than he was. Even now I can't really say he's eating a huge amount but he's definitely feeding himself, and enjoying it, and I've seen his nappies - he is DEF eating!

Go with your instincts. I took DS to a friends recently for lunch and my friend spend the whole time hovering over her DD trying to get her to eat the food she'd spent hours preparing for her and had no time to eat any of her own lunch. I just let DS get on with his eating and I tucked into mine. I was so proud of him :-)

My mum was also a bit sceptical and kept saying things like, Do you think he's hungry for real food yet..? By that she means spooning in the weetabix/porridge etc, but having just spent a fortnight with her she is now really impressed with how DS is feeding himself.

Stick with it. I did and like others have said, it was great and he eats beautifully now. And he's been able to feed himself for absolutely ages - much easier than spooning food into him. He threw loads on the floor, smeared on his face etc to start with, but lots went in too (nappies proved it even when I was doubtful) and he is now perfect weigh, healthy and very at ease with food. As long as your baby is a healthy weight and you're both happy. do what works for you and ignore what others do/say.

Stick with it as long as you and your LO are happy.

My parents & ILs were politely sceptical but seem on board now they've seen how much fun we're having with DS trying food himself.